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The Nittany Lion wrestling team opens its home slate in Rec Hall on Sunday (Nov. 24).

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Wrestling hosts Lock Haven in home opener Sunday

November 21, 2013

Wrestling hosts Lock Haven in home opener Sunday

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team will open up the home portion of the 2013-14 season on Sunday, Nov. 24, when it hosts neighborhood rival Lock Haven at 2 p.m. in Rec Hall. The dual meet will be preceded by the raising of last year's NCAA and Big Ten Championship banners into the rafters of Rec Hall.

Head coach Cael Sanderson's crew enters the dual with a 2-0 record while a young and improved Lock Haven squad enters the weekend with a 2-1 mark. Lock Haven is at Rider on Friday (Nov. 22).

Penn State is coming off a 2-0 opening weekend road trip that saw the squad down Rider 34-8 in front of a sold out Rider crowd in Lawrenceville, N.J. on Saturday afternoon, then turn around and visit No. 25 Lehigh the next day and beat the Mountain Hawks 22-12 in front of nearly 5,000 fans. The wins extended Penn State's non-conference dual meet win streak to 25. Penn State last lost a non-conference dual on Jan. 9, 2010, when Oklahoma beat Penn State 22-15 at the Virginia Duals.

The Lions are being led by senior All-American No. 1 David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), who's 2-0 start to the year included a pin of No. 13 Ramon Santiago of Rider and a major over Lehigh's Brian Brill. Taylor's major of Brill was the 100th bonus point victory of Taylor's career. The three-time national finalist and `12 Hodge Trophy winner heads into the Lock Haven dual with a 107-3 record, including 42 pins, 35 tech falls and 23 majors. His 42 pins is second all-time in Penn State history, just 11 shy of tying the all-time record of 53 held by Josh Moore (2001-04).

Lock Haven, which is at Rider on Friday night (post-press), enters the weekend with a 2-1 mark. The Bald Eagles are coached by `03 Penn State graduate Scott Moore and own wins over Shippensburg (42-3) and Bucknell (19-13). In comparing common opponents, Bucknell defeated Lehigh as well. Lock Haven's lone loss is a 27-14 loss at Pittsburgh last Friday evening. The Haven is being led by 141-pounder Dan Neff, who is ranked in a number of listings with a 7-2 mark. Junior Fred Garcia is also ranked No. 19 at 184 by Intermat and is 8-2 overall. Penn State leads the all-time series with Lock Haven, holding a 35-4 lead. The Lions won 42-3 last year in Rec Hall on 12/15.

Penn State returns to action in two weeks when it travels to Boston University for a 7 p.m. dual meet on Friday, Dec. 6. The Lions then trek right home for a Sunday showdown in the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State will entertain Pittsburgh on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m. Tickets can still be purchased via ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-NITTANY.

With the full season of Rec Hall duals sold out prior to the start of the campaign, a very limited number of standing room only tickets are available to a few of the remaining Rec Hall duals. Also, there are still tickets available for Penn State's Dec. 8 dual against Pitt in the Bryce Jordan Center. People may purchase tickets by calling 1-800-NITTANY or by visiting the Penn State Athletics ticket office located in the BJC. Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2013-14 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.

THIS WEEKThe #1 Penn State Nittany Lions (2-0, 0-0 B1G) host Lock Haven (2-1*) on Sunday, Nov. 24, in a 2 p.m. dual in Rec Hall. The dual will be preceded by the raising of last year's NCAA and Big Ten title banners. *Lock Haven is at Rider on 11/22, post-press.

UP NEXTPenn State will visit Boston University on Friday, Dec. 6, in a 7 p.m. dual. Two days later Penn State will host Pittsburgh on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m. The dual meet will be held in the Bryce Jordan Center!